Page 33 of Road to Absolution

Specialists and most doctors were home at this hour. Only occasional nurses were any company so I stuck in my earbuds and searched for a song I couldn’t get out of my head. It was “Nobody Opened the Door” by Cobi.

The song’s haunting lyrics, ‘so I made a vow with the wind,’ had me thinking of Kenny. Now that he was a biker, the song made so much more sense, and I understood why it so often played in my mind. Nobody could accept him for who he was, so he rode with the wind.

Being on the back of Diesel’s bike, it did feel like wind gathering under my wings so that I could take flight. I hoped these lyrics rang true for the young man Kenny used to be. Maybe he had found freedom, after all.

When the song ended, I decided to shower before again attempting sleep. My skin was sticky, and I was lonely. Other than allowing a Ryder to sit outside our door, I made everyone go home at night. My family and friends needed rest as much as I did.

Before going into the bathroom, I kissed my husband’s cheek. “Don’t stop fighting to wake up. I need you.”

The water was soothing. It rinsed away the nightmares… That’s why, when I came out of the bathroom in my fresh pajamas, turning as I shut the door, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. What I saw was Kenny standing and staring at Maverick in his hospital bed.

“Hey, darlin’,” said the dark side of Kenny, ‘Dick’, poking fun of the sweet nickname the country boy, Kenny, used to endearingly call me.

I froze, my eyes racing to the shut door. Gator, the club’s Secretary, had the shift tonight.

“He’s sleeping,” Kenny informed me, standing too close to the love of my life.

Petrified as to what he might do to my sleeping husband, I simply nodded, willing to agree to anything as long as Maverick was safe. This was one of the gruesome games Kenny and I played. He terrified me, I let him. I believed it was crucial for me to do what he said to keep him as calm as possible.

Menacing eyes lifted. He grinned, head gesturing to the door. “The Ryder, too.”

A shaky hand rose to cover my mouth. No!

He rolled his eyes. “Just a little ‘involuntary’ nap from a laced coffee. I didn’t kill him. Geesh. I’m not an animal. Just a Dick.” He winked before sloppily motioning with partially bandaged hands to a defenseless Maverick. “So, this is the infamous Boxer Boy?”

Understanding I was on my own with this dark side, I wiped a tear while nodding again.

Studying my face, Kenny groaned. “Mmm, I’ve missed those tears.” He licked his lips. “I can almost taste them again.”

Inhale… Exhale… Survive… Keep Maverick alive.

On my cot, my cell phone started vibrating.

Kenny smirked. “There’s your warning that I’m on my way. My girl must have woken and noticed I skipped town. We’ve been nearby in a hotel this whole time.” His smile grew. “Aren’t you going to ask why?”

Swallowing, I shook my head.

Kenny’s lips sounded like a frustrated horse as he blew out air while moving around the hospital bed to get closer to me. “Gonna answer your phone, scaredy cat?”

I backed toward the closed bathroom door.

“I see not much has changed.” He picked up my cell. “Hello?... There’s my girl… Sorry, I can barely hear you over the roaring of that sorry ass bike… Why the hostility, babe?” He chuckled. “I just went out for a midnight ride… I, too, like HOGs.” He looked at me and shook his head while mouthing, no, I don’t.

Justice must have been giving him an earful because he said, “You just proved you’ve learned even more cuss words. Hanging with the lowlife bikers is trashing that pretty mouth of yours.” After listening, he beamed, yet asked, “Do you kiss our babies with that mouth?” He instantly pulled the phone from his ear while grimacing and telling me, “Damn, she’s loud when pissed.” Daring to get his ear close again, he listened, then shrugged at me while tapping to end the call. “She’s on her way.”

Observing my belly, he asked, “Knocked up, eh?”

My hands raced to my stomach, wanting to protect the baby I was going to love forever.

“Yeah, been there. We have Gracie and Ice. Best kids ever.”

Justice had been so guarded with her children. Like a lioness. Yet, here was Dick, reckless. I now knew there was a boy and a girl, their names, and that they were in a hotel nearby. Then, as if we hadn’t just discussed reasons for living, like the love for children, he sauntered to my cot, then he leaned over and pressed on the center, testing the material. “Think we got time to get reacquainted?”

Horrified, my back hit the door. His whiplash had my head knocking against the wood.

Unaffected, he stood and faced Maverick. “Maybe there’s another way to entertain myself.”

It was one thing for him to toy with me, my fear, my emotions, but it was a whole different spectrum to be fucking with my man. Crazy love had me charging, reaching under my pillow, then placing the gun Viola had let me borrow to his forehead.